Neil 'Froggy' Crompton's Famous Guernsey

[Guest meccamike]

Hello Fellow Demon Supporters.

Allow me to share the story of what happened to Neil 'Froggy' Crompton's famous number 5 guernsey after the 1964 premiership win - the last the Demons achieved.

Circa 1965 and I was a seven year old student at St Clement's Primary School in Bulleen. My teacher was Jan Dalton, the wife of Collingwood rover Denis Dalton. The Dalton's became friends of the family and it was in the latter half of '65 that Jan came to our house and presented the Melbourne number 5 guernsey to us. Denis, she told us, had been Froggy Crompton's opponent on the day and had swapped jumpers at the final siren. Denis Dalton wanted no more of the jumper and was glad to be rid of it. Jan knew that I was a fanatical Demon's supporter and identified me as a suitable new owner.

I wore Froggy's jumper in the back yard for years to come - playing out my own imaginary moments of glory time and time again. The plastic number eventually cracked and disintergrated. The jumper was washed in hot water and shrunk somewhat but still remained in excellent general condition.

Years later I was living in Tasmania and co-hosting a sports program on local, community radio. Gary Baker had become a regular guest and had hooked myself and my radio partner, Andrew Beith, up to interview Brent Crosswell and Ron Barassi at a Clarence Football Club sportsnight. I was pretty excited about it all - Barassi's legend still loomed large in my mind and the last time I had met him was as a five year old at Chadstone Shopping Centre, where my mum bought me a pair of plastic Barassi footy boots.

The interview went well - I still have the tape recordings - and Barassi started to reminisce about the '64 flag victory. It was at this point that I produced the Crompton jumper and shared the story of how it came into my possession. Barassi , who had downed a few drinks, straightened up and became incredibly focused. We spoke for some time about the jumper and the night ended with Barassi making an undertaking to deliver the jumper back to the MFC so that it could be archived in the club's museum. Andrew Beith sat next to us as we shook hands on this deal.

The long and short of the story is that the jumper never made it to Melbourne - a couple of years later I went to the MFC expecting to see the #5 on display. Not there. I rang the club a number of times and have made no inroads into the issue. I've been told a number of things, including that I could never haver had the jumper as it was seen for years after doing the rounds of a country football league being worn by an ex-Melbourne player......

Authenticity can be established by checking in with Denis and Jan Dalton. There were also witnesses present when the jumper was handed to Barassi at the Clarence Football Club. The jumper should have made its way to the MFC regardless of its pedigree - Barassi promised that it would.

So where is it?

My understanding, realised far too late, is that Ron Barassi is an avid sports memoribilia collector - Froggy Crompton's jumper would be of significant interest to any serious collector. The only problem is that it is my property and I want nothing for it other than it to belong to the Melbourne Football Club.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

MM,

We must be of a similar vintage.

I remember the days well.

I used to run around with number 10 on my back as a kid. Anyone care to guess who that was?

My number was painted on by my mother. We were too poor to afford plastic numbers.

I hope this gets sorted. This should be a treasured possession of the MFC, expecially since Froggy is no longer with us.

[Guest glory years]

Having read this and having been at the 1964 Grand Final and having a clear recollection of Froggy playing on Dalton and having an equally clear recollection of opposition players swapping jumpers with their direct opponent after the match and having often wondered what happened to this iconic jumper - I'm having to think that there maybe some credibiltiy to this posting and I'm having to wonder why this fella has hit brick walls in communicating with the Demons when attempts have been made to follow up on this incredibly generous gesture. I mean, he could have put it on the market and pocketed a swag of money.

Has any paid employee of our club attempted to get a detailed understanding of where the jumper is???

This posting suggests there is a credible and authentic account of where the guernsey - a MFC heirloom - is.

Is there a fear of the truth?

[Whispering_Jack 30,580]

I used to run around with number 10 on my back as a kid. Anyone care to guess who that was?

My guess is a little rover named Ken Emselle.

[Tassie Devil 28]

As someone who played with the little brother of meccamike (i think they shared the jumper) I can verify the jumper was in the care of his family. I so wanted that jumper! mecca recounted this story when we met again some decades later and I asked about its whereabouts.

Would luv this mystery to be solved. A true piece of MFC history.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

My guess is a little rover named Ken Emselle.

Spot on. I still have a Scanlan card of Kenny.

[CHAMP 347]

The providence of this sacred garment stops with it being entrusted to Barassi's care. "Aw, gee, I got really [censored] and lost it" will simply not be good enough. He should at least be liable for what such an item would be worth at auction. The Club could well do with the money.

[Guest glory years]

The providence of this sacred garment stops with it being entrusted to Barassi's care. "Aw, gee, I got really [censored] and lost it" will simply not be good enough. He should at least be liable for what such an item would be worth at auction. The Club could well do with the money.

This is EXACTLY correct.

It appears that there is corroborated evidence that Barassi contracted to deliver the item to the MFC - so where is it? It seems that the club has acknowledged that they did not recieve the jumper from Barassi - ie he did not deliver/fulfill the contract. That is the civil law aspect of the matter. There is another legal issue which may fall into the realm of criminal law. I would suggest meccamike obtain legal advice on what may be the best course of action to follow here. Perhaps the media would also be interested in this story - shame often has an effect in the absence of honesty and proper action.

[Guest meccamike]

As someone who played with the little brother of meccamike (i think they shared the jumper) I can verify the jumper was in the care of his family.

Haven't twigged as to who you are Tassie Devil but, yes, the jumper was much treasured by all members of the family and your verification just adds another layer to this story - when I think about it, there are untold numbers of family friends, lads I played footy with and others who were shown the jumper.

Better they getting a view in this way than it being locked away in a mercenary hoarder's vault - but not as good as it being back where it belongs.

Considering media and legal options post 'glory years' posting. Would personally prefer the club to mediate a better outcome than having this dragged through the courts and/or the media.

[Dalrot 85]

Considering media and legal options post 'glory years' posting. Would personally prefer the club to mediate a better outcome than having this dragged through the courts and/or the media.

Posting it on a public forum is a good start

[DemonDave 1,089]

This is EXACTLY correct.

It appears that there is corroborated evidence that Barassi contracted to deliver the item to the MFC - so where is it? It seems that the club has acknowledged that they did not recieve the jumper from Barassi - ie he did not deliver/fulfill the contract. That is the civil law aspect of the matter. There is another legal issue which may fall into the realm of criminal law. I would suggest meccamike obtain legal advice on what may be the best course of action to follow here. Perhaps the media would also be interested in this story - shame often has an effect in the absence of honesty and proper action.

Surely in this ridiculously over-litigious society we live in you can't think trying to take one of the Demons all-time greats to court is a good thing? You must be a lawyer. Heaven knows we have enough of those these days .

[Guest glory years]

Surely in this ridiculously over-litigious society we live in you can't think trying to take one of the Demons all-time greats to court is a good thing?

Litigation - Not a good thing at all - I think it would be a good thing if the jumper that the player who kicked the winning goal in the '64 Grand Final wore was on display at the MCG. And this is regardless of anyones status.

[Guest meccamike]

Lets be really clear here -

What I would like is for this historic jumper to be located and made available for all sports fans to view, particularly Mebourne Football Club members and supporters.

[Guest demons64]

As someone who played with the little brother of meccamike (i think they shared the jumper) I can verify the jumper was in the care of his family. I so wanted that jumper! mecca recounted this story when we met again some decades later and I asked about its whereabouts.

Would luv this mystery to be solved. A true piece of MFC history.

I havent twigged as to who you are either 'Tassie Devil' but as meccamikes bro I can confirm the jumper was shared throughout the family. In fact I recall my older sister wearing the famour number 5 as a skirt to many home games at the 'G'. I did contact David Schwarz on Melbourne radio at one stage during a segment he was doing on the history of certain club numbers. I recounted the general outline of the story as I thought he might have an interest in the history of his own number at Melbourne - he didnt

[Sir Why You Little 37,120]

Lets be really clear here -

What I would like is for this historic jumper to be located and made available for all sports fans to view, particularly Mebourne Football Club members and supporters.

So contact Ron Personally in private & Find out where it is Rather than airing the story on a public Forum. Ime sure a few Journalists keep there eyes on these Forums to help fill up the daily papers & Blogs. Its possible that if you handed the jumper over to Ron without a written Document that you Forfieted any further rights to it. But Sort it out with Ron, Now. He's getting old so don't waste time. If the jumper no longer has a number on its back it will be harder to trace.

[45HG 1,559]

Is that three new people who have joined the forum just to talk about this topic?

Speak to Ron directly, there's nothing we can do

[deanox 9,986]

wow a melbourne supporter at st clements? when i was there, there were only 3 of us that i knew of, and one of them was a teacher...

you driven past lately? bottom yard is now apartment blocks.

[Guest demons64]

wow a melbourne supporter at st clements? when i was there, there were only 3 of us that i knew of, and one of them was a teacher...

you driven past lately? bottom yard is now apartment blocks.

Used to play cricket before a Sister Maquetta class where those apartments are now...

[Yencks 8]

My guess is a little rover named Ken Emselle.

im from a different generation to most of the people in this thread, only having read and heard stories about our glory days

just thought id let you know that Mr Emselle was my maths teacher and tennis coach at school for two years before he retired

great, down to earth bloke and a good teacher

[Tassie Devil 28]

I havent twigged as to who you are either 'Tassie Devil' but as meccamikes bro I can confirm the jumper was shared throughout the family. In fact I recall my older sister wearing the famour number 5 as a skirt to many home games at the 'G'. I did contact David Schwarz on Melbourne radio at one stage during a segment he was doing on the history of certain club numbers. I recounted the general outline of the story as I thought he might have an interest in the history of his own number at Melbourne - he didnt

demons64 (aka JC?) - we trained and played together in U10 or U11.

The jumper was a bit like a skirt on you too as I recall.

[deanox 9,986]

Used to play cricket before a Sister Maquetta class where those apartments are now...

cricket and footy in top yard (chruch car park) only when i was there, but could play 'hand footy' with a tennis ball on the basketball courts, or british bulldogs if the teachers werent around. middle yard was all downball or 4-square or whatever it was called.

[Guest demons64]

demons64 (aka JC?) - we trained and played together in U10 or U11.

The jumper was a bit like a skirt on you too as I recall.

Yeah for the 'stowe, but I still havent picked you.

Did you play in the GF against Greensborough?

[Tassie Devil 28]

Yeah for the 'stowe, but I still havent picked you.

Did you play in the GF against Greensborough?

No - think you might have been a year behind me - ie you were U10 when I was top age U11. That would place that GF around 1973 by my reckoning by which time I had moved up to U13. Same as Tim D.

[Guest demons64]

No - think you might have been a year behind me - ie you were U10 when I was top age U11. That would place that GF around 1973 by my reckoning by which time I had moved up to U13. Same as Tim D.

It was the 73 GF from memory - still got the Tempy penant somewhere.

Puzzle solved Tassie Devil - Mike said he had a kick on the Dodges oval with you a couple of years ago.

Good to see you are still pursuing the Demon Dream

[Tassie Devil 28]

It was the 73 GF from memory - still got the Tempy penant somewhere.

Puzzle solved Tassie Devil - Mike said he had a kick on the Dodges oval with you a couple of years ago.

Good to see you are still pursuing the Demon Dream

It's more like an ongoing nightmare following the Dees.

Good luck with the jumper - I sometimes see Garry Baker around kids sports events so will ask him about it. He still keeps in touch with #31.